


The Dark Night

by istanraven



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 10:05:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18466732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/istanraven/pseuds/istanraven
Summary: Bruce was expecting the excruciating pain usually accompanying a bullet to the chest. He expected to go falling to the ground in a last desperate attempt to keep Selina safe from Bane. He expected for everything to go dark, to be taken from this world.He didn’t expect to feel nothing.Something was wrong.





	The Dark Night

Rain had started to fall lightly as they walked down the empty street, and Bruce let out a breath, watching as the small cloud of vapor rose up into the night sky. He looked over at Selina walking alongside him, and despite the horrible situation they were in, he felt like things were going to be okay. 

These moments, where they were fighting for the same thing, filled him with a completeness he hadn’t felt in a while. For years she’d always been fighting to provide for herself, to survive on the streets. While Bruce had fought to find out who killed his parents. They’d both spent the early part of their lives fighting, Bruce had a feeling that’s what they’d always have to do. But for today, they were fighting together, for the purpose of saving their city. 

She was walking alongside him now, her face filled with determination, her stance rigged with pent up aggression. He knew she was ready to fight, and Bruce was ready to fight to protect her. She turned her head to look at him, like she’d sensed him watching her. She stared at him for a moment before pulling her gaze back towards the street ahead of them as they walked. 

“Alfred’s going to be fine, Bruce.” She said, sighing slightly. She thought he was worried about Alfred. But he was worried for her. Bane had already almost taken Alfred’s life, someone he loved. It was a matter of time before Bane decided Selina was the next option after his first didn’t work.. 

When Bruce he had found out about Bane’s location, Jim ordered him to stay in the police station while the others went to take care of Bane themselves, but Bruce didn’t listen. He gathered up everything he thought he would need and went to sneak out the back door. Of course Selina had found him, like she already knew beforehand what he would try to do, coming out of the shadows right when he had grabbed onto the door handle. “You’re out of your mind, if you think I’m letting you do this alone.” She’d said, before opening the door and walking out ahead of him. 

He tried to stop her from coming with him. But she wouldn’t leave his side.

He began to realize the closer and closer they got to the recent sighting, that fear began to take over him. It was almost as if he were delivering the last piece of his soul to the one person who wanted to destroy him, by hurting her. Looking back over at her he let those thoughts dissipate. He had her, and she made him strong. He knew the only way he could defeat Bane, was with her by his side. That’s how he knew he was going to be okay, not just now, but for the rest of his life. As long as Selina was there by his side, everything was going to be okay. That’s how he made it through his parent’s death, that’s how he found out who’d killed them, that’s how he’s continued to wake up every morning, ready to get out of bed. She was the light in his darkness that once consumed his every thought, his every action. She centered him, made him who he was today. He wanted to tell her this, of course he did, but something always stopped him. The thought that she didn't feel the way about him that he did about her. 

He looked back over at her again, watching the wind blowing through her curls, the rain continued to fall slightly, causing her face to look as if it were glowing. Life was too short. He had to let her know how much she meant for him. He promised himself as he watched a small smile on her face as she turned to look at him, he would tell her after this mess was over. After they’d defeated Bane and returned back to the police station, the city back to less of a mess it was now.

“What?” She asked, a small laugh coming from her. 

“I have to discuss something urgent with you after this is over.” He said, watching her slightly amused face before she looked back towards the street. “On the roof of the Siren’s.” She looked down, letting out a laugh before looking back at him. 

“Okay,” she said slowly, “This another date?” 

“We’ll have to see, won’t we?” He said, smiling at her. 

She shook her head laughing lightly, a few drops of rain cascaded down from her hair, then she suddenly stopped. 

Bruce quickly looked up to see a figure emerge from the shadows ahead of them. Instinctively he reached for one of the weapons fastened to his belt, automatically knowing who was standing a few feet away from them. He saw a flash of movement beside him, Selina grabbing her whip, the other hand resting right above her gun, ready to pull it from her side. 

“Foolish.” Bane’s voice rung out from the spot he’d finally emerged to. “You brought her straight to me.” 

Bruce flinched at his words. He should have told her to go back. 

Before Bruce could even process what was coming next, Bane started to make his way towards them. As if by instinct, Bruce took a stand in front of Selina before he held out his gun aimed right for Bane’s head. Cursing his promise made to himself years ago to never kill, he pulled down his arm aiming for the leg, but before he could shoot Bane had reached him, throwing out an arm that threw Bruce a few feet away, knocking the air out from his lungs. Panting, trying to regain his breath, he looked up to see Bane with his arms wrapped around Selina’s neck. She was reaching towards him, desperately trying to pull herself from his grasp.

“Let her go!” He yelled before pulling himself back up onto his feet and running towards them. 

“One more step, and you’re little friend dies. One more ounce of pressure is all it takes.” Bane’s voice ripped through Bruce’s thoughts and he pulled his gaze back towards her. Her mouth was slightly open, her breaths becoming heavier. He froze, not knowing what to do in the moment, his thoughts only centered on the woman currently on the verge of losing her life because of him, again. Her face suddenly changed and then Bruce saw the glint from her hand, then watched as the blade went straight into Bane’s leg. He quickly threw her to the ground before letting out a frustrated yell. Bane quickly looked back towards Bruce, pure anger filling his eyes, and Bruce readied himself for a fight. 

What happened next, Bruce could have never prepared himself for.

He saw the gun first, appearing in Bane’s hand before he was staring straight into the barrel of a gun.

“This ends now.” Bane voice echoed across the street. 

Then he saw the quick flash of Bane’s finger pressing on the trigger and the loud gunshot, sending a single loud bang, slicing through the silence of the night. 

Then it was as if time froze and Bruce began to realize what was going to happen to him, what he eventually knew would happen to him. He had been fighting for his entire life, he had countless enemies, and he knew that one of them would succeed in finally killing him. His thoughts traveled to Selina. He was going to die protecting her. He was going to die, and there would be no reason for Bane to continue going after Selina or Alfred or anyone else because of what he had done. 

Everyone would be safe at the expense of his life. 

It was a price he was willing to pay. 

But then a second passed.

Then another.

That’s when Bruce realized something was wrong. 

He was expecting the excruciating pain usually accompanying a bullet to the chest. He expected to go falling to the ground in a last desperate attempt to keep Selina safe. He expected for everything to go dark, to be taken from this world. 

He didn’t expect to feel nothing. 

Nothing.

Something was wrong.

He looked down at his chest, spotting no bullet wound or obvious laceration. It was as if the bullet from Bane’s gun had completely missed him. 

Something was wrong.

He looked up at Bane, expecting to see the gun still pointed at him, ready for another shot. But it wasn’t Bane, but Selina standing in front of him, staring at him through glassy eyes, a hand held to her chest. 

She pulled away her shaking hand slowly.

That’s when Bruce saw the blood.

“Now look what you’ve done, Bruce.” Bane said, watching as Bruce’s worst nightmare became a reality, for the second time. Bruce heard the satisfaction in his voice, the utter lack of any empathy or guilt. “Because of your mistakes, you’re little friend had to die. There’s no point in killing you now, her death is on your hands, and you’ll soon enough destroy yourself, what better way to make you suffer for all the pain you’ve caused others.” Then he disappeared into the shadows, unbeknownst to what he had really just done. 

Bruce didn’t know what to do. It felt like all his senses had shut down, any logical part of his brain had completely stopped working. All he could do was stand there as Selina stared back before her legs gave out from under her and she dropped to her knees. He snapped back to his senses, quickly dropping down to catch her before her body collapsed on the road below. For a moment he was brought back to when he’d watched as his parents collapsed on the street of the alley as he desperately tried to help them, but he had been so weak.

She reached out frantically trying to grab onto his coat. She was breathing heavily now, gasping for every last bit of air. Her eyes fogging over, the focus shattering. It looked as if she were staring at something in the distance that Bruce couldn’t see. He found himself panicking, the reality of the situation starting to kick in and immediate anxiety took ahold of his entire mind. She was shot, bleeding out in his arms and this time... 

This time there were no hospitals. There was no Alfred to quickly lift her out of Wayne Manor and get to the car with Bruce in tow. There was no Ivy that could give Bruce what he needed to keep her alive. There was nothing. And yet, Bruce refused to believe that this was how Selina was going to be taken from this world, taken from him, after everything they had been through together, after so many near misses. 

”We’re going to get you help, everything’s going to be fine.” Bruce said, his breathing starting to pick up rapidly. He didn’t know whether he was assuring himself or her more. He knew Jim had to be on his way, he knew the police cars would soon come around the corner. 

“Bruce.” She murmured, her voice caught by her gasps.

“Selina, you can fight this. We’re going to get you help.” He pleaded. “Somebody, please!” He tried to yell in vain across the empty streets, but they both knew no one would hear, no one was going to get there in time. 

“Bruce, hey.” She reached up with her other hand, brushing her finger tips against his cheek. He stopped breathing for a moment and looked down at her. Before her face had been filled with panic, her eyes widened, but now she looked eerily peaceful. “You have to let me go.” She said quietly her eyes flickering across his face, slowly losing their focus. 

The rain continued to pour down around them, beating mercilessly down on their defeated spirits, and Bruce felt something in him shatter at her words. Let Selina go? Sure, he’d done it unwillingly countless of times, letting her walk away from him on a roof or walk away after he’d lied about her mother. Letting her go this time carried a whole new meaning. He could barely manage not seeing her for a couple months, but for the rest of his life? 

How could he let her go knowing that he would never see her smile again, a smile that he felt was reserved for him and only him. How could he go on knowing that he would never kiss her again, touch her again, feel her again. He could he go on never again being able to stare into her beautiful green eyes and feel his entire world make sense, because even with everything that has gone wrong in his life, she was the only thing that made sense. How could he let her go knowing he can never again love someone like he loved Selina Kyle.

“Why? Why couldn’t you have just let me save you? Why did you have to do it, Selina?” He asked, his voice choking up at his words. 

“Thought you would’ve figured it out by now, Bruce.” She said quietly, her eyes flickering across his face. 

“Figured what out?” He asked.

“Can we talk about it later,” she murmured, “I’m tired.” 

She began to close her eyes and Bruce quickly brought his hand down to cradle her face, shaking her head lightly. “Stay with me, Selina!” He pleaded, “Someone will be here soon.”

“No one’s coming.” she said. The rain started picking up, drenching them both in seconds. 

She watched him now through hooded eyes, and Bruce tried to memorize them, tried to memorize the blazing green, to keep in his memory forever. Grief started to rake his entire body as he began to realize that she would never look at him again. He’d never see her gaze lingering on him in a club after spotting him across the room, or stare at him with that look in her bright eyes after he’d pressed his lips against hers. 

“I saw you there, Bruce, standing in front of him. I watched as he walked closer towards you, and I knew I couldn’t let you die. I pulled myself up, and ran in front of that bullet because,” she paused for a moment, her breaths shallow. “Because I-,” her gaze flickered across his face before she started again, “because you’re too important, you need to live, to protect this city. It’s what you’re meant to do. It’s what you need to do. Because they need you.”

“I need you.” He cried out, feeling more tears fall down his face.

“You have Alfred, Jim, the others. I came and went in your life, but you have years and years to live, you’ll find another girl to run across rooftops with.” she let out a little laugh before she started to cough, blood dripped down the side of her cheek and onto the street. “I’ll just be some girl you knew as a kid, someone you used to throw bagels at in your study, someone you used to fight criminals with, someone you used to care about.” She paused, her gaze flickering across Bruce’s face before she smiled sadly, the tears running down her face. “Someone who used to love you, because with you, she’d finally found her home.”

For a moment he couldn’t breath. All this time, he could have told her how he felt, because he was as important to her as she was to him. And she was dying in his arms. She wasn’t supposed to be dying. She was supposed to always be that girl to run across rooftops with. She was supposed to not be a childhood memory, but someone that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. This was unfair, it was unfair that her life was being ripped from her because of the lives they lived, because of this city, because of him. It would always be his fault, if Jeremiah or Bane hadn’t seen how important she was, she would’ve never gotten hurt. It was because of him that she was lying on the street, the life slowly dripping out of her. 

She watched him now, the rain drops running down her face.

“Selina, I lo-”

“Don’t.” she said slightly shaking her head. “Don’t make this harder for you.”

“I have to tell you. I have to.” He said breathlessly as he dropped his hand to rub a thumb across her cheek.

“Tell me tonight.” She murmured, her breathes starting to slow rapidly, she begin to become still, the life draining from her body.

“Selina.” he said, watching her gaze drift up towards the sky. “Don’t leave me, I can’t do this without you. Please!” A sob raked his body, before he pulled her towards him, holding her body in his arms. “Selina!”

“I’ll see you on that roof, Bruce.” She whispered, letting out his name in a gasp.

Then she went still.

Bruce’s mind shut down. 

He numbly watched, waiting for her familiar smile to spread across her face before she’d sit up, shove his arm playfully then tell him to stop worrying so much. But she remained still, her eyes devoid of any brightness they used to contain, staring up into the dark sky, her lips slightly parted from her last breath. The night was silent for a moment, only the sound of the rain hitting the street surrounded him, pounding down on him, shoving him even deeper into the darkness that had started to consume him.

Then he snapped.

Bruce didn’t stop the strangled scream of inexplicable pain pass from his mouth, echoing off the buildings around him. He didn’t stop the tears from streaming down his face, joining the rain drops. He didn’t stop from frantically pulling her closer towards him, cradling her face in his hands, pleading with her to come back to him, in any desperate hope that this would all be a sick joke. That he hadn’t really lost the woman he loved, the only woman he would ever love. He hadn’t even been able to tell her. He would never be able to tell her.

Because she remained still.

He didn’t know how long he sat on that street for before he heard the sounds of voices around him, someone grabbed onto his arm pulling him to his feet, he fought against their hold, but they pulled him further away from her lifeless body laying on the street. He saw the white sheet fall over her, he watched as they pulled her body onto a stretcher before pulling her into the ambulance, the lights off. 

“Bruce, look at me, Bruce!” 

Out of the haze he heard Alfred’s voice and felt him wrap his arms around him. He just felt numb now, the realization of the situation still not setting in for him, even as he watched the ambulance and police cars drive away. 

“It hurts now, Bruce. But I know you’ll never forget her, none of us will. You need to continue on, living in her memory. Remembering the moments you two shared, charishing them, because those memories will get you through the dark days coming ahead, and for the rest of your life. Live for her memory, Bruce. Don’t give up, you need to promise me you won’t give up, she wouldn’t want you to.”

He took in alfred words while his gaze dropped down back to the street where Selina had once laid. He could almost see the shattered fragments of his soul littered on the cement. For a split second anger took over his thoughts.

Selina had lost the chance to grow up, to get married, to have kids, to have a future. 

Her life had been filled with pain, but her future had hope. He knew she had that hope like all of them had. That soon there wouldn’t be people trying to kill them, that eventually they would be able to live in peace in Gotham. She would never see that future. She lost it right before she even had the chance to see a glimpse of that hope. 

She died in the darkness of that night on that street, along with a part of Bruce. But as he began to process Alfred’s words, he knew what had to be done. Out of that darkness Bruce had a new purpose pulsing through his veins. He would do what she had told him, he would live to fulfill her last wish. 

He would become the protector this city needs.


End file.
